British Modern Couturier Peter Copping leaves Balenciaga to "transform" Lanvin

Lanvin, the oldest continually operating couture house in France, has today announced the appointment of Peter Copping as Artistic Director.  The British designer will become the luxury label's fifth couturier of the decade.

Founded in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin, and headquartered in Paris, the Maison will welcome Copping as the creative lead for womenswear and menswear collections, effective September 2024.

Peter Copping said: "Jeanne Lanvin was a visionary of her time whose interests and passions extended far beyond fashion, as do my own. I am extremely honoured to have been chosen as Artistic Director of Lanvin and to be able, along with the atelier and teams, to write the next chapter for this iconic house."

Most recently, Copping served as Head of Couture and Head of VIP and Special Projects at Balenciaga.

Previously, the graduate of Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, Peter Copping began his career at Sonia Rykiel and then spent over a decade at Louis Vuitton with Marc Jacobs as head of womenswear. He was later named Creative Director of Nina Ricci in Paris and Oscar de la Renta in New York, where Mr. de la Renta designated Copping his successor before moving to Balenciaga.

In April 2023, Lanvin announced it was looking to shift its creative focus, introducing two new entities. The first was the Lanvin Lab, which is "an experimental space inviting creative partnerships with proven and rising international talents". The second was a new accessories and leather goods division, including new hires.

Amid the reshuffling, it was announced that Bruno Sialelli, who stepped into the role of Creative Director in 2019 after working as the Head of Menswear and Loewe, was exiting. Since then, the House has been left bewildered without a Creative Director.

This affected revenues. Its most recent trading report, published in February 2024, revealed full-year revenues reached £364 million (€426 million), up by 1% year-on-year versus 2022.  After after Sialelli departed, the group turned things around in the second half of 2023 with its creative transition of the Lanvin brand. Lanvin said, “resiliency was key in 2023”.

Siddhartha Shukla, Deputy CEO of Lanvin, said: "Peter Copping’s arrival at Lanvin is an important milestone in the renaissance of one of the great French Maisons. I am confident that with Peter’s vision and technical rigour and the continued perseverance of our teams globally, we will identify a new frontier in fashion and deliver beauty and results in equal measure."

Zhen Huang, Chairman of Lanvin Group, added: "With 135 years of heritage, Lanvin boasts an exceptionally rich history and is one of the most celebrated names in fashion worldwide. As Lanvin Group’s flagship brand, Lanvin is an integral part of our family. With the nomination of Peter Copping, we look forward to the Maison’s continued transformation and growth."